Going on holiday? Bringing the kids? Then you are definitely wanting to know what car seats are TÜV-approved.TÜV-approved means that the seat has been tested and approved by TUV Rheinland to be suitable for use on an aircraft.

List of TÜV-approved car seats:

Manufacturer

Model

TÜV ID

Group

Takata

TAKATA MAXI

0000053832

II / III

Bébé Confort

Pebble

0000023572

0+

Bébé Confort

Pebble Plus

0000043330

0-12 kg and 45-75 cm height

Bébé Confort

skirt

0000043330

0-12 kg and 45-75 cm height

Britax Römer

Baby Safe Plus / B06

9811400300

0+

Britax Römer

Eclipse

0000028802

I

Britax Römer

Baby Safe Plus SHR

9811400300

0+

Britax Römer

King QuickFix

8811400300

I

Britax Römer

BABY-SAFE² i-SIZE

0000059040

0-13 kg and 40-83 cm body size

Concord

Ion

0000026687

0+

Cybex

Aton M

0000055564

0+

Cybex

Aton M iSize

0000056419

0-13 kg and 45-87 cm body size

Diono

Radian 5

0000055458

I / II

Eitel Plastic

luftikid

7011000571

I / II

Joie

iGemm

0000056604

0-13 kg and 40-85 cm body size

Joie

Gemm

0000056603

0+

Kiddy

Comfort Pro

0000026688

I / II / III

Kiddy

Discovery Pro

0000026688

II / III

Kiddy

Guardianfix Pro

0000026688

I / II / III

Kiddy

Guardianfix Pro 2

0000026688

I / II / III

Kiddy

Cruiserfix Pro

00000001021

II / III

Kiddy

Energy Pro

00000001022

I

Kiddy

Phoenixfix Pro

00000001022

I

Kiddy

Phoenixfix Pro 2

00000001022

I

Kiddy

Phoenixfix 3

0000051233

I

Kiddy

Guardian Pro

0000026688

I / II / III

Kiddy

Guardian Pro 2

0000026688

I / II / III

Kiddy

Guardianfix 3

0000053409

I

Kiddy

Evolution Pro

0000040931

0+

Kiddy

Evolution Pro 2

0000040931

0+

Kiddy

Smartfix

00000001021

II / III

Maxi Cosi

Citi

8811410300

0

Maxi Cosi

Citi (PLC)

8811410300

0

Maxi Cosi

Citi

0000046894

0+

Maxi Cosi

Mico

8011000571

0

Maxi Cosi

Pebble

0000023572

0+

Maxi Cosi

Pebble Plus

0000043330

0-12 kg and 45-75 cm height

Maxi Cosi

Skirt

0000043330

0-12 kg and 45-75 cm height

Nuna

Pipa Icon

0000056499

0-13 kg and 40-85 cm body size

Recaro

Privia

0000044950

0+

Recaro

Privia Evo

0000044950

0+

Recaro

Guardia

0000044950

0+

Simple parenting

Doona

0000043493

0+

Simple parenting

Doona+

0000058480

0+

Storchenmühle

Maximum

2711305500

0

Takata

Picomino Mini

0000033472

0+

Takata

Toyota Mini

0000033472

0+

Takata

Takata Mini

0000033472

0+

Takata

TAKATA MINI I-SIZE

0000050911

45-80 cm height

Takata

BMW G0 +

0000033472

0+

Takata

Lexus Mini

0000033472

0+

I will keep this list up to date, but the list can also be found here on their website: http://bit.ly/1Wdb9gp

Airlines

The following airlines allow the use of the above-listed models. Nevertheless, the child seat may not be brought without prior consultation with the airline. For further information please contact the respective airline. There are of course other airlines that allow for car seats – some of them (along with their policy) can be found at the bottom of the post.

TheFAA regulations and recommendations, govern American air carriers. CATSA(Canadian Air Transport Security Authority) and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) all recommend car seats on planes, but do not have this level of governance over their airlines–they defer to the individual airlines’ policies. Which means you will need to check with your airline what their policy is in regards to car seats on their planes.

One of the most common car seats bought for plane and travel is the Britax Eclipse (also known as Römer Eclipse). It’s a very affordable seat and not very heavy.

Professional and Industry Recommendations:

“Occupant protection policies for children younger than 2 years on aircraft are inconsistent with all other national policies on safe transportation. Children younger than 2 years are not required to be restrained or secured on aircraft during takeoff, landing, and conditions of turbulence. They are permitted to be held on the lap of an adult. Preventable injuries and deaths have occurred in children younger than 2 years who were unrestrained in aircraft during survivable crashes and conditions of turbulence. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends a mandatory federal requirement for restraint use for children on aircraft. The Academy further recommends that parents ensure that a seat is available for all children during aircraft transport and follow current recommendations for restraint use for all children. Physicians play a significant role in counseling families, advocating for public policy mandates, and encouraging technologic research that will improve protection of children in aircraft.”

“Did you know that the safest place for your child on an airplane is in a government-approved child safety restraint system (CRS) or device, not on your lap? Your arms aren’t capable of holding your child securely, especially during unexpected turbulence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly urges you to secure your child in a CRS or device for the duration of your flight. It’s the smart and right thing to do so that everyone in your family arrives safely at your destination. The FAA is giving you the information you need to make informed decisions about your family’s travel plans.”

“Turbulence can happen with little or no warning. And when it does, the safest place for your child is in a CRS, not in an adult’s lap. Your arms just aren’t capable of holding your child securely, especially when turbulence is unexpected. Keeping your child in a CRS for the duration of the flight is the smart and right thing to do so that everyone in your family arrives safely at your destination. “

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) states:

“EASA cares for the safety of the youngest aircraft occupants and recommends the use of approved child seats on board of an aircraft.

Small infants are allowed to sit on the parent’s lap and be secured by a supplementary loop belt. A child over 24 months of age must occupy a separate seat. However, the normal seat lap belt in an aircraft is designed for the body of an adult person. It can cause injuries for children in an accident or during an aborted take-off. Children should be approximately 7 years of age or with a height of above approximately 125 cm in order to be able to use the standard seat lap belt. To enhance safety of the youngest passengers, EASA therefore strongly encourages that infants and small children be secured in an approved child seat, on a dedicated seat in the cabin. How this can be done depends on the individual airline. It is therefore important to check the airline’s website or get in contact with it.”

“On July 19, 1989, the unthinkable happened –fragments from an uncontained engine explosion took out all three independent hydraulic systems of a DC-10 traveling from Denver to Chicago, rendering all flight controls ineffective. Then an amazing thing happened – despite this catastrophic event, the pilots and emergency responders were able to save 185 [1] of the 296 people on board when the plane crashed in Sioux City, Iowa. The NTSB’s investigation of this accident led to 25 recommendations and advancements in aviation safety, including research on non-destructive inspection techniques for rotating engine parts and reliability of flight controls. Twenty-five years later, however, one issue that remains unaddressed is the issue of allowing lap-held infants.“

“[..]adults may not be able to maintain a secure hold on a lap-held child during turbulence or survivable accidents, as appears to have been the case with this united flight. Preventable deaths and injuries have occurred in children under age 2 who were unrestrained. […]For more than 30 years, the NTSB has investigated aircraft accidents involving unrestrained children and has issued safety recommendations asking the FAA to require that children under age 2 be appropriately secured in a child restraint.”

Other means of securing the child:

The system is for use by children between 22 and 44 lb. (10-20 kg) in weight, less than 40 inches (101,5 cm) tall and who are capable of sitting upright alone in a forward facing position.
You can buy it:

Therese has completed the ‘Advanced Child Car Seat Training Course’ at TRL (Transport Research Lab) and is a CPD accredited car seat expert. She blogs about in-car safety, car seats, tips, reviews, giveaways and advice. She’s a mum on a mission to change the law and raise awareness. She is also a breastfeeding advocate and gentle parenting promoter who loves cloth nappies, baby-wearing, BLW and co-sleeping/bed-sharing.